1999, A Nice Dilemma - Adapted from G&S
1999 started with a full-blown version of Darren's Rosenfeld's G&S farce, A Nice Dilemma. Darren, Michael and Norma had formed a company, Overture Productions, and the Diamond Valley Singers joined them for their production. There was a special award to anyone who could disentangle the plot, which meandered through most of the popular G&S operettas. It was all tied together by a narrator, the part taken by Martin King, Malcolm Wilton having done it the previous year.
Apart from soloists, we provided a chorus, who were invited to sit in the background with their books if needed. However, most preferred to be involved with the choreography. Michael Try also took over as conductor for the show, a first for him, but not the last. Rehearsals started mid-January, which was a first, with Darren directing, as well as playing a major part.
There were two performances, at Doncaster Church of Christ and Greensborough Anglican Church. These went well, with fifty at Doncaster and ninety at Greensborough. It was a very profitable exercise! At Doncaster, the only one to forget his lines was Darren! Someone else then came in with the wrong bit and we l skipped Colleen's big solo! So Darren reorganised the rest of the show during the next solo to reinsert it!
These history notes have been kindly provided by our long-term artistic director and co-founder, Graham Ford.
